Review: "The Crucible" at Stratford Festival
Joe Szekeres, Chief Toronto Critic
Near the conclusion of the first Act in ‘The Crucible’, Reverend Hale tells John Proctor, ‘These are strange times, Mister’ with everyone set against everyone in crying witchery.
How apropos this statement was in 1952 when Arthur Miller wrote the play and had the House Un-American Activities Committee on his mind. How apropos once again this play currently is for Canadians in watching world events unfold with an upcoming federal election combined with the influences of US President Donald Trump. For this reason alone, it was brave intuition on the part of the Festival to select this American theatre classic.
Was the right choice made? Indeed, it was.
Under Director Jonathan Goad’s clear vision, he stages a taut, suspenseful drama of character intrigue before our eyes. I noticed many audience members around me sitting on the edge of their seats and heard periodic gasps at the turn of events in the plot. The courtroom setting in the Second Act alone is worth the price of a ticket to watch true professional actors in action who powerfully and inherently command the stage with precision.
Michael Gianfrancesco’s bare set design of the woods surrounding the playing area with simple chairs, stools and wooden tables focused my attention immediately. Bonnie Beecher’s lighting design at the top of the show of shadows and three focused spots created a suspenseful atmosphere of what might be lurking in the trees. Debashis Sinha’s eerie sound effects of crows cawing in the peaceful but scary trees underscored nicely this general sense of foreboding even before the play began.
It takes several minutes to get the plot going as important background information is given, and we must pay close attention. Abigail Williams (Katelyn McCulloch) and her friends, including the Proctors’ servant, Mary Warren (Mamie Zwettler) and Betty Parris (Aviva Goad) are caught dancing in the woods with servant Tituba (a mesmerizing performance by Ijeoma Emesowum). When Reverend Parris (Scott Wentworth) catches the girls dancing, his young daughter Betty faints from the passion and excitement of the moment. As the story progresses, we learn of many in the town who are accused of witchcraft, and Reverend Hale (Rylan Wilkie) arrives to assist in understanding what is occurring in the town.
We also learn that the young Abigail had an affair with central character John Proctor (Tim Campbell). Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth (Shannon Taylor) still feels the emotional effects of this adulterous act as John tells her, “Your justice would freeze beer.” Events quickly unravel to the point where a vindictive Abigail accuses Elizabeth of being a witch at the end of the first act.
Heavy, heavy stuff, but this extraordinary cast consistently held my attention without resorting to histrionics of any kind. There are wonderfully staged moments that remain with me even as I write this article. Unfortunately, space will not allow me to refer to each of them.
The young Ms. Goad at the top of the first act reminded me of Linda Blair’s terrific work in ‘The Exorcist’ complete with a quick spider extension of her back. As Abigail, Katelyn McCulloch skillfully manipulates between a scorned, vengeful woman and an innocent child who only wants to please adult figures. Shannon Taylor never ventures over the top as wronged wife, Elizabeth. She checks her emotions in complete control only firing back at her husband when she knows (and he too) about his adulterous affair. The silent, accusatory and sympathetic pause Ms. Taylor gives Mr. Campbell after he forgets one of the ten commandments is brilliantly timed for maximum effect.
Scott Wentworth’s Reverend Parris finely reveals a cowardly minister who truly does not practice what he preaches. As Reverend Hale, Rylan Wilkie expertly brings to the forefront how the townspeople have been duped and that all who have been accused have been wronged on all accounts. Maria Vacratsis’ motherly and compassionate Rebecca Nurse is that voice of worldly reason needed until she too has been unfairly charged. Ms. Vacratsis’ final moments of the play resonate with strength and fortitude.
At this performance, Mamie Zwettler (Mary Warren), Roy Lewis (Judge Hathorne) and Tim Campbell (John Proctor) had me on every word they had spoken. Ms. Zwettler’s work as the tormented Proctors’ servant is stunning and haunting to watch when she takes the stand in wanting to do the right thing until the tables horribly turn in another direction. Mr. Lewis’ methodical work as the Judge (nemesis to John Proctor) shows a corrupt man who refuses to believe the truth even when it is presented clearly to him.
Tim Campbell’s performance as John Proctor is masterful work. Here is a man who carries the weight of his illicit affair on his shoulders while desperately seeking to repair the damage he has done to his wife who never allows him to move forward. Mr. Campbell’s final moments at the end of the play rang true for me in the important message of this play. It is the goodness behind the name of a person that must always seen through faults, misdeeds or accusations of any kind.
FINAL COMMENTS: In his Director’s Note, Jonathan Goad writes how working on this play with “a group of sensitive, committed artists has been a privilege both terrific and terrifying…for undertaking this ritual of work/play with such heart and guts.” Joe Szekeres, Chief Toronto Critic
But it is worth it to see this cast perform.
‘The Crucible’ runs to October 25 at the Avon Theatre, 99 Downie Street, Stratford, Ontario. For tickets, visit www.stratfordfestival.ca or call1-800-567-1600 or 1-519-273-1600.
Approximate running time: 3 hours with one 15-minute interval.
Photo of Tim Campbell as John Proctor and members of the company of ‘The Crucible’ by Cylla von Tiedemann.
But it is worth it to see this cast perform.
‘The Crucible’ runs to October 25 at the Avon Theatre, 99 Downie Street, Stratford, Ontario. For tickets, visit www.stratfordfestival.ca or call1-800-567-1600 or 1-519-273-1600.
Approximate running time: 3 hours with one 15-minute interval.
Photo of Tim Campbell as John Proctor and members of the company of ‘The Crucible’ by Cylla von Tiedemann.